CHIBA, Apr. 10 – Let’s play video games and learn about global warming. Chiba Prefecture has developed a new educational platform based on Minecraft, a popular game worldwide to build structures and items and enjoy adventures within the virtual world. The new content is designed to be used at primary and junior high schools in educational settings or events in Chiba as a tool to provide a chance to learn about global warming in a fun way.
In its policy to promote the achievement of carbon-neutrality, the prefecture committed to changing the awareness of the prefecture’s residents. It came to the idea of creating a new game to build a city well-equipped with countermeasures against global warming, inspired by Minecraft, a game with a learning feature.
The latest game from Chiba is named Minecoolaft Chiba.” It was developed incorporating opinions of specialists and was released to the public in February this year. The program will run on personal computers, tablet computers, and smartphones and is download-free for anyone with a Minecraft account.
Minecoolaft Chiba has three game modes: PRG (Role Playing Game), Education, and Mini Game. In the PRG mode, players will live in a virtual city modeled after Chiba Prefecture, with four areas, including the residential and industrial zones. In the mountain and seashore area, players will learn to achieve carbon-neutrality by implementing solar-sharing projects with farmers and controlling methane gas emitted from rice paddies and livestock.
The Education mode assumes the use in a class of 45 minutes, which encourages several students to discuss measures against global warming in one virtual setting. The Mini Game will offer 5- to 10-minute short games designed to raise consumers’ awareness at environmental events or commercial facilities.
Minecraft game content by Chiba Prefecture will offer a chance to experience how people can prevent global warming (Photo provided by Chiba Prefecture)